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Reclaiming Parkland: Tom Hanks, Vincent Bugliosi, and the JFK Assassina
Reclaiming Parkland details the failed attempt of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman cofounder of the production company Playtone to make Vincent Bugliosi's mammoth book about the Kennedy assassination, Reclaiming History, into a miniseries. It exposes the questionable origins of Reclaiming History in a dubious mock trial for cable television, in which Bugliosi played the role of an attorney prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for murder, and how this formed the basis for the epic tome. Author James DiEugenio details the myriad problems with Bugliosi's book, and explores the cooperation of the mainstream press in concealing these many faults during the publicity campaign for the book and how this lack of scrutiny led Hanks and Goetzman to purchase the film rights. DiEugenio then shows how the film eventually adapted from that book, entitled Parkland, does not even resemble Reclaiming History, though the script for that film displays the same imbalance that Reclaiming History does. Reclaiming Parkland also includes extended looks at the little-known aspects of the lives and careers of Bugliosi, Hanks, and Goetzman including Bugliosi's three attempts at political office and a review of the Tate-LaBianca murders in the light of today's knowledge of that case. DiEugenio also looks at the connections between Washington and Hollywood, as well as the CIA influence in the film colony today. Reclaiming Parkland is a truly unique book that delves into the Kennedy assassination, the New Hollywood, and the political influence on how films are made today. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
45 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
James DiEugenio
12 books27 followersJames DiEugenio is one of the foremost researchers into the major assassinations of the 1960's. His first book: Destiny Betrayed, was an in depth look at the Garrison investigation. In 1993 he co-founded both Citizens for Truth about the Kennedy Assassination (CTKA), and the following year: the Coalition on Political Assassinations (COPA). Along with Lisa Pease he co-edited COPA's journal: Probe Magazine from 1993-2000, and later assisted in a compilation of the Probe articles which was published as The Assassinations. In response to Vincent Bugliosi's Reclaiming History and associated film Parkland, DiEugenio published Reclaiming Parkland, a critique of Bugliosi's methodology, evidence, and findings in the Kennedy Asassination.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 15, 2014
I read Bugliosi's cinder block back not long after it first came out. I had not lived through that time period in history and since the book featured blurbs by many highly regarded historians I felt that this was the place to begin. Ironically enough after slogging through the damn thing it had the opposite effect upon me. Where I had previously been a firm adherent to 'the Oswald did it' crowd Bugliosi just struck me as a colossal asshole, who really didn't have much to say in spite of the lengths-literal and figurative-that he took to make it seem that way. Later, I read Jim Douglass' beautiful JFK and the Unspeakable, which at a quarter of the length never overstretched itself, and indeed convinced me to change my opinion of the whole thing. Reclaiming Parkland achieves much the same. DiEugenio has something very urgent to say, and he says it very well. He dissects Bugliosi's text, succinctly and thoroughly, without alienating the reader, and what is more he places both within the context of the decline of American film making, and American culture. To cover so vast an area as all of this in such a low page count is the mark of an excellent author, and a man who is very well versed about the subject he is arguing.
But, in my opinion the greatest portion of this book is its concluding Afterward. In it DiEugenio puts Reclaiming History, Bugliosi, Stephen Ambrose, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Parkland, Spielberg, Hanks, Clinton, and Obama together as symptoms of what they are: mindless spectacle. These are all things that demand nothing save acceptance, and deliver nothing of substance, still less do they seek the truth. Rather than ask difficult questions they seek the least common denominator, and fall back upon flag waving to make up the difference.
But, in my opinion the greatest portion of this book is its concluding Afterward. In it DiEugenio puts Reclaiming History, Bugliosi, Stephen Ambrose, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Parkland, Spielberg, Hanks, Clinton, and Obama together as symptoms of what they are: mindless spectacle. These are all things that demand nothing save acceptance, and deliver nothing of substance, still less do they seek the truth. Rather than ask difficult questions they seek the least common denominator, and fall back upon flag waving to make up the difference.
May 21, 2016
James DiEugenio clearly knows his way around the JFK assassination, and it would have been nice if DiEugenio had been the one to go up against Vincent Bugliosi in the simulated JFK trial back in the 1980s. I could have done without the personal attacks against Spielberg and Hanks. Just stick to what's wrong with their film and leave the meanness to the internet trolls. That aside, if you've read that farce of a "history" book known as "Reclaiming History," and were convinced by it, then this is a must read for you. It will show why history textbooks shouldn't be getting their information from lawyers.
November 28, 2013
DiEugenio's deconstruction of the omissions, distortions, lies, straw men, ad homonym attacks and circular logic of Bugliosi is thorough and convincing. We're left to wonder why someone would need so badly to support such deceptive work with the power of TV and movies. I have seen DiEugenio's work criticized in minor ways, but taken as a whole its devastating.
A little dense in the informational department, it's not always an easy read.
A little dense in the informational department, it's not always an easy read.
December 31, 2022
It's difficult to imagine that many subjects have been written about with as much frequency or intensity as the 1963 JFK assassination. Or, indeed, the many theories surrounding or various representations of those few seconds in Dallas, Texas, nearly six decades ago. Among the authors who have tried to bottle the story is the former prosecutor-turned-author Vincent Bugliosi with his mammoth book Reclaiming History. A book that, loosely, at least, became the basis for the 2013 film Parkland, released in time for the assassination's half-century. Taking Bugliosi and the movie to task, notionally at least, is James DiEugenio's book mashing up their titles to examine both.
Clocking in at nearly 500 pages with notes and an index, Reclaiming Parkland crams a lot between its covers. DiEugenio's book is obviously about the assassination to a degree, and a large chunk of it is dedicated to examining various facts and claims regarding the event and its auxiliary details. Yet his purpose is far, FAR larger than that. For along the way, DiEugenio offers up history lessons on Bugliosi's life and career, from his prosecutorial work on the Manson case to how, as a bestselling author and media figure, he took up an interest in the JFK assassination. There are also explorations of Tom Hank's life and career, given his involvement with the Parkland film, and the story of how Hollywood came to make the film out of a planned miniseries of the book and its attitude toward the JFK assassination since Oliver Stone's JFK in 1991.
And that is exactly the problem that Reclaiming Parkland has. Perhaps DiEugenio casts too wide a net in trying to take on both Bugliosi's doorstopper volume and take on Hanks, Hollywood, and their approach to history. Indeed, given that Parkland is literally half of the book's title and all of the wordcount given over to Hanks (not to mention the film Charlie Wilson's War in an example of tangents the book goes off on), the film itself comes across as an afterthought with DiEugenio dedicating only a short chapter to the then-unreleased movie late in the book. Even the 2016 updated edition (which I read) never sees DiEugenio come back to talk about the final product.
Why? On occasions in the book, DiEugenio points out that Bugliosi’s tome became its sizable final self thanks to delays caused by Oliver Stone's film and the 1990s declassification of assassination-related documents as a result of its release. I suspect Reclaiming Parkland is the odd read that it is partly because DiEugenio did the same thing, picking up again closer to the film's release. And for all his criticism of Bugliosi’s tone toward assassination researchers in Reclaiming History, the snark and outright insults DiEugenio gets into in responding to Bugliosi does him no favors.
Nor does the thing that comes out the most from the sections DiEugenio dedicates to Hanks. DiEugenio accuses Hanks (along with Steven Spielberg and the late Stephen Ambrose, among others) of engaging in a sort of mythmaking of history upon the American public with his works. Yet, reading Reclaiming Parkland as someone who thinks the JFK assassination was a conspiracy, I can't help but feel DiEugenio (and latterly Oliver Stone, who supplies the updated version's foreword) is engaged in mythmaking, too. Only theirs is a cynical, dark one frequently decided in smoke-filled board rooms with assassin's bullets and the CIA manipulating Hollywood movies (an implication never made outright about Charlie Wilson's War but very much there between the lines).
Personally, I suspect the truth lies somewhere between these two visions of recent American history. More than that, DiEugenio is preaching to the choir, not looking for new converts. And it's a shame because there's a solid rebuttal to Bugliosi’s book lost in a sea of cynical prose and tangents here.
Clocking in at nearly 500 pages with notes and an index, Reclaiming Parkland crams a lot between its covers. DiEugenio's book is obviously about the assassination to a degree, and a large chunk of it is dedicated to examining various facts and claims regarding the event and its auxiliary details. Yet his purpose is far, FAR larger than that. For along the way, DiEugenio offers up history lessons on Bugliosi's life and career, from his prosecutorial work on the Manson case to how, as a bestselling author and media figure, he took up an interest in the JFK assassination. There are also explorations of Tom Hank's life and career, given his involvement with the Parkland film, and the story of how Hollywood came to make the film out of a planned miniseries of the book and its attitude toward the JFK assassination since Oliver Stone's JFK in 1991.
And that is exactly the problem that Reclaiming Parkland has. Perhaps DiEugenio casts too wide a net in trying to take on both Bugliosi's doorstopper volume and take on Hanks, Hollywood, and their approach to history. Indeed, given that Parkland is literally half of the book's title and all of the wordcount given over to Hanks (not to mention the film Charlie Wilson's War in an example of tangents the book goes off on), the film itself comes across as an afterthought with DiEugenio dedicating only a short chapter to the then-unreleased movie late in the book. Even the 2016 updated edition (which I read) never sees DiEugenio come back to talk about the final product.
Why? On occasions in the book, DiEugenio points out that Bugliosi’s tome became its sizable final self thanks to delays caused by Oliver Stone's film and the 1990s declassification of assassination-related documents as a result of its release. I suspect Reclaiming Parkland is the odd read that it is partly because DiEugenio did the same thing, picking up again closer to the film's release. And for all his criticism of Bugliosi’s tone toward assassination researchers in Reclaiming History, the snark and outright insults DiEugenio gets into in responding to Bugliosi does him no favors.
Nor does the thing that comes out the most from the sections DiEugenio dedicates to Hanks. DiEugenio accuses Hanks (along with Steven Spielberg and the late Stephen Ambrose, among others) of engaging in a sort of mythmaking of history upon the American public with his works. Yet, reading Reclaiming Parkland as someone who thinks the JFK assassination was a conspiracy, I can't help but feel DiEugenio (and latterly Oliver Stone, who supplies the updated version's foreword) is engaged in mythmaking, too. Only theirs is a cynical, dark one frequently decided in smoke-filled board rooms with assassin's bullets and the CIA manipulating Hollywood movies (an implication never made outright about Charlie Wilson's War but very much there between the lines).
Personally, I suspect the truth lies somewhere between these two visions of recent American history. More than that, DiEugenio is preaching to the choir, not looking for new converts. And it's a shame because there's a solid rebuttal to Bugliosi’s book lost in a sea of cynical prose and tangents here.
dnf
October 3, 2024 Reclaiming Parkland by James DiEugenio critiques Vincent Bugliosi’s book Reclaiming History and its adaptation into the film Parkland examining the JFK assassination and Hollywood's portrayal of historical events. DiEugenio questions the credibility of Bugliosi's work, noting its origins in a televised mock trial, and explores how the media and Hollywood uncritically embraced it. He also delves into the careers of Bugliosi, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman, but the book often loses focus, veering into tangents about Hollywood and conspiracy theories.
While the book raises interesting points, it fails to present a clear alternative theory about the assassination and becomes overly cynical in its tone. Ultimately, it will resonate more with readers who already doubt the official JFK narrative but may disappoint those looking for a balanced or coherent rebuttal.
While the book raises interesting points, it fails to present a clear alternative theory about the assassination and becomes overly cynical in its tone. Ultimately, it will resonate more with readers who already doubt the official JFK narrative but may disappoint those looking for a balanced or coherent rebuttal.
June 13, 2016
The only reason this even gets 1 star is for the bibliography!
Total waste of time. All he does is complain about Bugliosi's book and rebut everything in it with more hearsay and eyewitness testimony that apparently is the truth whereas Bugliosi's is all wrong. Like so many conspiracy books, he finds holes in everything the warren commission finds but offers no concrete theory or proof of an alternative explanation. Confusing the issue with contradictory testimony is not evidence of anything. I felt that reading this book was the right thing to do after reading Reclaiming History and being totally convinced that the Warren Commission was correct. I was hoping that something in this book would poke holes in the actual evidence, but walked away with nothing. Do not waste your time.
Total waste of time. All he does is complain about Bugliosi's book and rebut everything in it with more hearsay and eyewitness testimony that apparently is the truth whereas Bugliosi's is all wrong. Like so many conspiracy books, he finds holes in everything the warren commission finds but offers no concrete theory or proof of an alternative explanation. Confusing the issue with contradictory testimony is not evidence of anything. I felt that reading this book was the right thing to do after reading Reclaiming History and being totally convinced that the Warren Commission was correct. I was hoping that something in this book would poke holes in the actual evidence, but walked away with nothing. Do not waste your time.
December 1, 2013
Very thought provoking. I thought he was unfairly harsh to Spielberg and Tom Hanks (is anyone claiming "Saving Private Ryan" is a true story? Then stop being offended that it doesn't line up with the facts). I'd like to read a book that balances it. I'm not ready to throw in my lot with the conspiracy theorists, but this book definitely challenges what I thought I knew about the Kennedy assassination.
May 25, 2018
Wonderful response to the ridiculous 3,000 page cover up written by Vincent Bugliosi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2025
James DiEugenio's grand takedown of Vincent Bugliosi's defence of the Warren Commission and its findings of Oswald being the lone assassin of JFK.
Using nothing but recorded facts and evidence he eviscerates Bugliosi who's laughable shilling paints him as a pawn of the deep state who wishes to continue with the lone gunman lie.
So many blatant discrepancies and concoctions including the magic bullet that caused 7 wounds through 2 men and 2 bones yet emerged virtually intact.
JFKs back wound that was raised many inches up to the neck by Gerald Ford so as to correspond with the frontal neck "exit" hole, which was really an entry point .
The lack of a proper autopsy to study the path of the bullets.
The autopsy notes being inexplicably burnt , xrays looking dubiously tampered, JFKs brain officially weighing normal when at least a third was blown away.
The dismissal of all the doctors at Parkland that initially saw a large exit wound in the back of JFKs skull indicating a frontal shot.
A Mauser rifle being found at the snipers nest, but then all bar one officer changing their story to it being a Mannlicher Carcano.
The fact that nobody could repeat the shooting performance of 3 shots in 6 seconds with a bolt action rifle and that Oswald was identified by many as a poor shot.
The controversy over Oswald's prints being belatedly found on the rifle, the failed parrafin test indicating he didn't fire it.
The Officer JD Tippit murder they claim Oswald committed, but it is not possible on the timeline.
The photographic and witness connection to right wingers David Ferrie and Clay Shaw in the New Orleans area gets dismissed.
The list goes on.
Bugliosi then lionises the FBI and JEdgar Hoover himself laughingly as historically incorruptible as if their JFK investigation was flawless, which this book then reveals otherwise.
Not to mention the semingly planted Ruth Paine who knew the Oswalds and frequently came forward with new evidence like a "note" without fingerprints that linked Oswald to an earlier shooting at the house of a General Walker.
Or how did Jack Ruby get into the basement unseen and with perfect timing to be able to shoot and kill Oswald unhindered?
Then, the poor investigation into Oswald's alleged trips to Mexico to visit the Cuban and Soviet embassies, which has no credible witnesses or evidence of such taking place.
Finally DeEugenio calls out Hollywood and it's role in keeping the narrative going through people like Tom Hank"s and Steven Spielberg's works amongst others who releases Pentagon or CIA vetted projects, how it makes it impossible to tell the truth or give an alternative viewpoint as Oliver Stone's JFK did but then got pilloried by the MSM for doing it.
Bugliosi says in his book ...well, we know Oswald shot JFK, so there's no need to look further.
We don't know that and Bugliosi is a fool to say so.
This brilliant book destroys him and his claim.
Using nothing but recorded facts and evidence he eviscerates Bugliosi who's laughable shilling paints him as a pawn of the deep state who wishes to continue with the lone gunman lie.
So many blatant discrepancies and concoctions including the magic bullet that caused 7 wounds through 2 men and 2 bones yet emerged virtually intact.
JFKs back wound that was raised many inches up to the neck by Gerald Ford so as to correspond with the frontal neck "exit" hole, which was really an entry point .
The lack of a proper autopsy to study the path of the bullets.
The autopsy notes being inexplicably burnt , xrays looking dubiously tampered, JFKs brain officially weighing normal when at least a third was blown away.
The dismissal of all the doctors at Parkland that initially saw a large exit wound in the back of JFKs skull indicating a frontal shot.
A Mauser rifle being found at the snipers nest, but then all bar one officer changing their story to it being a Mannlicher Carcano.
The fact that nobody could repeat the shooting performance of 3 shots in 6 seconds with a bolt action rifle and that Oswald was identified by many as a poor shot.
The controversy over Oswald's prints being belatedly found on the rifle, the failed parrafin test indicating he didn't fire it.
The Officer JD Tippit murder they claim Oswald committed, but it is not possible on the timeline.
The photographic and witness connection to right wingers David Ferrie and Clay Shaw in the New Orleans area gets dismissed.
The list goes on.
Bugliosi then lionises the FBI and JEdgar Hoover himself laughingly as historically incorruptible as if their JFK investigation was flawless, which this book then reveals otherwise.
Not to mention the semingly planted Ruth Paine who knew the Oswalds and frequently came forward with new evidence like a "note" without fingerprints that linked Oswald to an earlier shooting at the house of a General Walker.
Or how did Jack Ruby get into the basement unseen and with perfect timing to be able to shoot and kill Oswald unhindered?
Then, the poor investigation into Oswald's alleged trips to Mexico to visit the Cuban and Soviet embassies, which has no credible witnesses or evidence of such taking place.
Finally DeEugenio calls out Hollywood and it's role in keeping the narrative going through people like Tom Hank"s and Steven Spielberg's works amongst others who releases Pentagon or CIA vetted projects, how it makes it impossible to tell the truth or give an alternative viewpoint as Oliver Stone's JFK did but then got pilloried by the MSM for doing it.
Bugliosi says in his book ...well, we know Oswald shot JFK, so there's no need to look further.
We don't know that and Bugliosi is a fool to say so.
This brilliant book destroys him and his claim.
October 1, 2022
Cutting Edge Analysis
James diEugenio is a prominent expert related to historical events, especially in the. area of the JFK assassination.
Through the use of his encyclopedic knowledge, using other authors sources and insight from a wide array of books, some which are hard to find, he exposes the omissions and biases from Vincent Bugliosi’s Reclaiming Parkland along with it’s premise backing the Warren Commission’s of Oswald as the lone shooter and planner.
He uses the same resources to give the reader insight into the Intellegence Community’s influence over Hollywood and other media productions to obfuscate facts to key historical events in their favor giving a positive spin to nefarious activities.It is difficult to actually believe where the truth lies in some of these projects, documentaries and news reports.
The author does give positive credit where it is warranted to Bugliosi, but he does a masterful job of slicing up Bugliosi’s book as well as media projects by big name producers, dilators and actors.
if one is a believer of the Warren Commission and the Oswald did it alone theory, this book lays waste to all of that.
A very expansive and illuminating book.
James diEugenio is a prominent expert related to historical events, especially in the. area of the JFK assassination.
Through the use of his encyclopedic knowledge, using other authors sources and insight from a wide array of books, some which are hard to find, he exposes the omissions and biases from Vincent Bugliosi’s Reclaiming Parkland along with it’s premise backing the Warren Commission’s of Oswald as the lone shooter and planner.
He uses the same resources to give the reader insight into the Intellegence Community’s influence over Hollywood and other media productions to obfuscate facts to key historical events in their favor giving a positive spin to nefarious activities.It is difficult to actually believe where the truth lies in some of these projects, documentaries and news reports.
The author does give positive credit where it is warranted to Bugliosi, but he does a masterful job of slicing up Bugliosi’s book as well as media projects by big name producers, dilators and actors.
if one is a believer of the Warren Commission and the Oswald did it alone theory, this book lays waste to all of that.
A very expansive and illuminating book.
April 9, 2025
DiEugenio spends half the book trashing Bugliosi as being stupid. Odd, he spends all his time complaining that is all Bugliosi did. Pot, meet kettle. A truly hypocritical job. Conspiracy theorists no doubt love this piece of argumentative crap. People who trash the Warren Report without reading it while looking at Mark Lane and Oliver Stone as godlike tell us all we need to know about DiEugenio. P.U.
June 27, 2022
Useful, but quite possibly the most tedious JFK assassination book on my shelves. The author's writing style made it seem twice as long as it was. Perhaps it's best read as a series of reviews of Bugliosi's book. As a sustained narrative it's repetitive. I agree about Hanks but it would have been a better book without him.
December 31, 2024
A long and scary read and Tom Hanks behind the scenes actions of tarnishing America's history with heaps of lies is not he least bit surprising. You know, because he's a pedo.
Reclaiming Parkland....four stars.
Reclaiming Parkland....four stars.
December 18, 2021
An essential read and a corrective for anyone who's suffered through Vincent Bugliosi's conspiracy-unfriendly tome.
July 3, 2023
I picked up this book at the library not realizing it was another book by a conspiracy nut. Don’t waste your time.
July 7, 2025
JFK "Play-Toned"
for Boy Scouts only. Tune out!
Stay Oliver Stoned.
for Boy Scouts only. Tune out!
Stay Oliver Stoned.
April 9, 2017
Reclaiming Parkland is eigenlijk een recensie van 500 bladzijden over het geflopte Reclaiming History (2700 bladzijden) van de inmiddels overleden Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi zou met Reclaiming History het definitieve boek over de moord op Kennedy schrijven, maar de aanklager (hier bekend van de zaak tegen Charles Manson) doet weinig anders dan het herkauwen van het gemankeerde Warren Report uit 1964 en maakt en passant elke criticus van dat rapport belachelijk door ze als op geld beluste aandachtszieke idioten af te schilderen.
DiEugenio laat zien hoe Bugliosi dat kan doen door veel wat door echte onderzoekers boven water is gehaald te negeren. Aangezien Bugliosi's boek een enorme flop was, kun je je afvragen waarom DiEugenio zoveel tijd stopt in het analyseren van Reclaiming History. Maar de filmrechten op het Bugliosi-boek zijn destijds gekocht door Tom Hanks en leidde tot een serie over de moord, "Parkland", genoemd naar het ziekenhuis in Dallas. Aan de hand van het verhaal achter Hanks en Parkland geeft de auteur een kijkje achter de schermen van Hollywood en waarom we voorlopig geen film als "JFK" of "Thirteen Days" hoeven te verwachten.
Een boek over historici en onderzoekers aan de ene kant, en mythe-makers aan de andere. En ondertussen wordt je op de hoogte gebracht over de actuele stand van zaken: wat valt er te leren uit de 2 miljoen bladzijden aan voorheen geheime documenten die met dank aan de commotie rond de film JFK na 1992 vervroegd openbaar zijn gemaakt?
DiEugenio laat zien hoe Bugliosi dat kan doen door veel wat door echte onderzoekers boven water is gehaald te negeren. Aangezien Bugliosi's boek een enorme flop was, kun je je afvragen waarom DiEugenio zoveel tijd stopt in het analyseren van Reclaiming History. Maar de filmrechten op het Bugliosi-boek zijn destijds gekocht door Tom Hanks en leidde tot een serie over de moord, "Parkland", genoemd naar het ziekenhuis in Dallas. Aan de hand van het verhaal achter Hanks en Parkland geeft de auteur een kijkje achter de schermen van Hollywood en waarom we voorlopig geen film als "JFK" of "Thirteen Days" hoeven te verwachten.
Een boek over historici en onderzoekers aan de ene kant, en mythe-makers aan de andere. En ondertussen wordt je op de hoogte gebracht over de actuele stand van zaken: wat valt er te leren uit de 2 miljoen bladzijden aan voorheen geheime documenten die met dank aan de commotie rond de film JFK na 1992 vervroegd openbaar zijn gemaakt?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews